Huawei joins other regional and global stakeholders to
discuss latest cybersecurity trends and threats, expand future opportunities
and deepen multi-stakeholder engagement
Islamabad:-
Huawei Middle East and Central Asia joined
a high-level media roundtable on day two of the GSMA M360 EURASIA 2023 conference
in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss the latest telecom cybersecurity trends, innovations,
and contribute methods to tackle the associated threats among industry actors
together. The open discussion aimed at aligning strategic priorities for the
region, deepening engagement and steering collaborative efforts in the industry
to advance collective action for cyber stability in the telecom industry.
Under
the theme of “Build more secure and resilient telecom networks to efficiently
support the future digital economy,” participants in the panel discussed various
topics, including collaborations among network operators and their partners,
suppliers and customers in defending against telecom cybersecurity, how regulators
could promote local telecom industry’s cybersecurity development, and the role
that cybersecurity plays in safeguarding critical information infrastructure
and the digital economy, among other topics.
Dr. Tural
Mammadov, Director of Director of the Azerbaijan Computer Emergency Response
Center (CERT), was joined in the panel by Dr. Mohammad Khaled, Director,
Business Development and Strategic projects, e& enterprise, Dr. Haitham
Hilal Al Hajri, Sr. Executive – Cyber Security Projects, Oman National CERT, Dr.
Elvin Balajanov, Chairman of the Board, Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Organization
Association and Dr. Aloysius Cheang, Chief Security Officer, Huawei Middle East
& Central Asia.
The
telecom industry has become an integral part of modern society and is
recognized as a critical infrastructure industry (CII). It plays a vital role
in connecting people, businesses and governments, facilitating communication,
information sharing and commerce on a global scale.
However,
as telecom networks become more complex and interconnected, they become more
vulnerable to cyber threats. Cybersecurity of telecoms is a critical component
of national security, and therefore, it is essential to bring together telecom
stakeholders to promote the development and optimization of telecom
cybersecurity. This includes working closely with telecom service providers,
equipment manufacturers, government agencies, and other stakeholders to
identify and mitigate cybersecurity risks, develop and implement best
practices, and raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity in
telecom.
Dr. Tural
Mammadov thanked the organizers, participants and sponsors for arranging the
event in Baku while reiterating the country’s commitment to the highest
cybersecurity standards. “We join the international community in highlighting
the risks posed by cybercrime. Likewise, we want to work with our global
partners towards joint actions in defending telecom networks, which is critical
in leveraging all the digital economy opportunities.”
Dr.
Mohammad Khaled said, “As an operator, securing our networks against cyber
threats and creating safe digital cyberspace remains one of our most important
tasks, especially as we enter a new era of connectivity and cognitive
technologies. We realize that cyber threats are global in nature – and
solutions must be as well. We are therefore proud to be here, joining other
partners and stakeholders in finding joint outcomes to a common threat.”
Dr.
Haitham Hilal Al Hajri said, “Today, the progression towards an interconnected
cyber world has become a reality. Unfortunately, this has increased the threats
from malicious actors and protecting our digital assets is a concern for all
countries. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility and national security
agencies, telecom providers and ICT industry players should work together to
achieve a more robust cybersecurity posture, so telecom providers can continue
to deliver cutting-edge digital services unimpeded by cyber threats.”
Dr. Elvin
Balajanov said, “We are proud to host our partners and friends here in Azerbaijan
as we address the cyber risks that threaten the health of our networks and, by
extension, our socioeconomic growth. Safeguarding our critical information
infrastructure is a key government priority in Azerbaijan as these critical
systems possess functionality that, if disrupted, can pose significant harm to
the interests of the state, society, and citizens. Therefore, it is crucial
that telecommunications providers implement appropriate safeguards, protocols,
and technologies to mitigate risks and protect our critical information
infrastructure.”
Dr. Aloysius
Cheang said, “We need to consider how to meet the increasingly strict
compliance requirements of regulators on the one hand and how to provide secure
and trustworthy products and services that fulfill our commitments to customers
on the other. We must also embrace a defense-in-depth approach to provide
better security, ensure business continuity, resiliency, improve efficiency and
customer experience while always protecting user privacy.”
Global
standards, internationally agreed processes and industry best practices are
critical in addressing cyber threats effectively. As such, building and
implementing an end-to-end global cybersecurity and privacy protection assurance
system is one of Huawei’s key strategies. In compliance with applicable laws
and regulations in the countries where it operates and international standards,
Huawei has created an effective, sustainable, and reliable cybersecurity and
privacy protection assurance system by referring to the requirements of
regulators and customers and industry best practices.
NESAS/SCAS
is an ideal example of global collaborative efforts in addressing cybersecurity.
It offers a standardized cybersecurity assessment mechanism jointly defined by
GSMA and 3GPP, the telecom industry’s leading standards-setting organizations)
and GSMA 5G Cybersecurity Knowledge Base to provide useful guidance on 5G
security risks and mitigation measures. Huawei has been proactively involved in
the telecom cyber security standardization activities led by GSMA ITU-T, 3GPP,
and IETF etc., and has joined security organizations such as OIC-CERT, FIRST
and partnered with mainstream security companies to ensure the cyber security
of its customers and promote the healthy development of industries.
Huawei
believes cybersecurity and privacy are common challenges that all stakeholders
– including governments, industry and standards organizations, enterprises, technology
suppliers, and consumers – have a shared responsibility to confront. Huawei
actively works with governments, customers, and industry partners to address
cybersecurity and privacy challenges, thereby reinforcing the need to treat
cybersecurity as a team sport and maintaining an open and collaborative
environment that encourages innovation and transparency. Through these efforts,
Huawei advocates for cybersecurity to be viewed as the key to protecting our
digital assets and leveraging it to support business.
Huawei
is committed to fostering a better life for all in the future digital world by
offering secure and trustworthy products, solutions, and services where
personal data is lawfully used and always protected. The company has in-depth
experience collaborating with its customers on advanced tech and industry 4.0
solutions for major industry verticals. Its products and solutions are
developed and delivered by observing security-by-design and privacy-by-design
principles that will allow its customers to safeguard their digital future.
